Harvest Moon
by The-3-Sueslayers
Summary: TOS Kingdom Hearts crossover. Anyone who gazes at the harvest moon will fall in love... Can Anna, appearing as five years old for one night only, keep everything from going wrong? Can she keep her identity secret from Kratos? Of corse not. Do not own.
1. Harvest Moon

A girl sat at her desk, stumped. She stared hard at the poem in her notebook, but she couldn't think of anything to put next. "Damn writer's block to the lowest levels of hell," she said venomously. Suddenly, she realised how dark it was. Looking at the clock, she saw 10:00.

_Odd, _she thought. _I'm not usually this tired._

She carefully read what she had written.

On the harvest moon,

in a dark, dark, night,

mesmerised are we

by the cold, red light.

All who are lit

by this witch-moon's glow,

they will fall in love,

no chance to say no.

Without a thought,

they will say as they feel,

what had been dreams,

will become real.

And if they kiss,

before dawn's first hour,

forever they'll be

caught, in love's power.

The young poet felt her eyes glaze over, and decided to go to bed. She pulled on her pajamas, and tucked herself in. Her eyes drifted closed. She began to dream...

A beautiful woman walked through her room. Her brown hair hid big brown eyes as she read the poem written on the open page of the poet's notebook. Her eyes widened. "The moon is red tonight in Symphonia!" she said softly. Turning toward the poet, who gazed at her, she said softly, "I need your help."

The poet looked at the woman. "For what?"

"To save the ones I love."

"Then I freely give it."

Anna, pleased by the girl's generosity in sharing her power, linked hearts with her. Borrowing some of her power, she solidified as a little girl, five years old. Spreading white wings, she flew through time and space.

Behind her, the poet fell into a deep sleep, happy with her decision.


	2. This just HAD to happen, didn't it?

Anna landed gently in a forest. Looking around, she quickly figured out where she was. She was outside of a ballroom in Meltokio, where her friends, (And some others who visited sometimes) were attending a party.

_OK, _thought Anna, _something could go very wrong here, so I better just try to keep everyone from kissing until morning. If people are going to fall in love, I want it to be of their own free will, not to under a spell. So, how do you keep a bunch of mushy teenagers from kissing? That's easy. I'll just wreak havoc. _Some part of her was intensely pleased at that option. _Oh no,_ she thought. _I'm already starting to act like a five-year-old. Well, maybe that can be used to my advantage..._

Anna cartwheeled into the bushes as a person walked out the door. _Weee! _She thought. _That was fun._ Gathering her wits, she went back to watching the man. She recognised his face. _Oh, no! _She thought. _Kratos! He is the only person alive who would recognise me as a five year old! _A part of her wanted to run out and embrace him. Inwardly, she wept, but stayed where she was. It would only lead to heartache.

Kratos looked around, tense. He could have sworn he had heard something, like a rustle in the bushes and twigs cracking. _Nonsense, _he thought. _It's just the wind. _Nevertheless, he kept on his guard. He was fed up by that party, and it only reminded him of times lost.

Kratos quickly scaled a tree, and perched high in the branches. He looked around, enjoying the view. His eye strayed to the moon, which was copper-coloured. Painful memories surfaced, and he looked away. He would count the stars instead.

Anna looked up at Kratos, high in a tree just above her head. She quickly decided to run further into the forest. She got up and ran as fast as she could.

Kratos watched the brown-haired little girl shoot out from the bushes and hide in the forest. "Stop," he said.

Anna froze, and then slowly turned around. "Yeah?" she asked, trying to keep her voice innocent. She gave him a bright smile, trying to act like a five year old. "What's up, mister?"

Kratos looked hard at the little girl. "Anna?" he asked slowly. "Is that you?"

Anna panicked inwardly. She tried to keep her exterior friendly. "Who's Anna?"

Kratos frowned. "I have the ability to sense Mana signatures, even though I'm not a half-elf. Either you're Anna, or you're a perfect copy. Since Anna had one son and he has no children, there's next to no chance of a perfect copy forming. Please, don't lie."

His soft tone broke Anna's will to keep him in the dark. "Yeah," she said in a quiet, sad voice. "It's me. I came back by borrowing a human's power, to stop all of you from falling under the spell of the Harvest Moon. I can only stay for tonight."

Kratos' face lit up. He vaulted out of the tree and caught her up in his arms. "I missed you. I will forever miss you."

She smiled, a tiny smile. "And I you. I have a mission, though. The moon will make everyone who gazes upon it fall in love with someone else. If anyone kisses under the moonlight spell, they will be in love forever. I want people to love of their own accord, not under a spell. I gotta stop them from kissing tonight."

"Luck to you, then. I will do what I can to help," Kratos said.

Anna heard voices making their way into the forest where they stood. "Thanks. I've got to go, though. Somebody's coming."

Anna slipped into the woods.

Kratos, gazing into the water, called up everything he knew about hearts, magic, and storing Mana to the front of his mind.


	3. Anna's evil side

A/N: The first pairing that I will bash... Raine and Regal! MUAHAHA!

Truth is, I love RainexRegal. They're both so stubborn and sweet. On the other hand, it's incredibly fun to mess with.

Don't own, don't sue!

* * *

Raine and Regal walked out of the door, deep in conversation. Regal glanced up, and pointed at the moon. "Look," he said. 

"Oh!" said Raine. "The moon is red. It's probably particles of something in the atmosphere. I think it used to be called the 'harvest moon'."

Regal paused. "It is lovely."

"Yes, I guess it is."

Anna noticed that Raine's voice had softened from it's usual volume and forwardness. She smirked. _Well... won't this be fun! _She thought.

Raine and Regal continued their conversation, and Anna crept into the woods after them.

Raine sat on the edge of the lake, Regal standing in the clearing behind. Regal looked up at the stars (The two faced away from the moon) and Raine looked into the lake, looking at the reflections of the stars.

"A shooting star," said Regal, pointing again.

Raine looked up. "A meteor," she said. "It's so small, it probably won't reach the ground. I wish it would, though. I'd love to study it."

Regal looked over at Raine. Suddenly, she seemed something different. Something other than his comrade. He wasn't quite sure what. Shoving the thought aside, he put forth a question. "Raine," he said. "You like to know, don't you?"

Raine looked at Regal oddly. He usually didn't talk much, and while this wasn't exactly lecturing, it was more than he usually said. Being used to being called 'Professor' or 'Professor Sage', (or in Zelos' case, one of his stupid nicknames) by everyone except her little brother, she felt odd being referred to as 'Raine'. "Yes," she said. "I always like to know. When I find something I don't know, I just want to figure it out. Understanding something is satisfying."

Bang!

A sound like a gunshot echoed through the forest. Raine leaped to her feet, her instincts honed by weeks of fighting. Regal set off, sprinting towards the sound.

Raine quickly caught up with him. "Don't even _think,_" she said, easily keeping pace, "Of leaving me behind."

Regal, stunned by her speed, nodded.

Anna spread little wings and barrelled through the forest after them.

Raine and Regal reached the place where the sound came from. Regal advanced, while Raine stood back, holding her staff ready.

Anna dove into another conveniently placed bush.

Regal gazed at what had made the noise. A rock, about the size of his fist, lay in a large crater. At any point tn the crater, it was as long from one end to the other as Regal was! It hissed gently, fading to black.

Regal reached out. The stone was faintly warm to the touch. _Perhaps it's the meteor,_ he thought. Picking it up, he held it out to Raine.

Raine looked at Regal, eyes wide. "That's..." she said. "That's a meteor!"

Regal smiled a rare, small smile. "Would you like it?" he asked.

Raine smiled too. Her smile was genuine, and almost as rare as Regal's. It was a sweet smile, Regal noticed. _It's a lovely smile,_ part of him said.

"I would love it," she said. He held it out, and she took it. Raine hugged Regal, and he put his arms around her.

Anna saw Raine lean forward, maybe to say something, maybe to kiss Regal. _Time to act,_ she thought.

Jumping out of the bush, she looked at the pair. Sticking her tongue out, she pretended to barf. "EEEEEWWWW!" she shouted.

Regal and Raine sprang apart, glaring around. Whoever it was, though, had already escaped.

Anna ran away into the woods, laughing.

_Kratos, deep in the forest, shuffled through his pockets. Please... please let it still be there..._

* * *

A/N: Heehee. I love writing Anna as a chaotic five-year-old. FEAR ME, PAIRINGS OF SYMPHONIA! MUAHAHA!


	4. Fangirls are anticupid's best weapon

As you can probably guess from the title, this one's ZelosxSheena! BEWARE!

Don't own, don't sue!

* * *

"Hey, Sheena," Zelos said, staring out the window at the moon. How pretty it was. _Just like my beautiful hunny,_ he thought. 

"What?" Sheena replied tartly. She was not in a good mood, the knowledge that it was his fault hurt Zelos.

He turned to her, suddenly feeling more serious. "I'm sorry about... about earlier. Want to come for a walk with me?"

Sheena looked over, so see an unusually apologetic expression on Zelos' face. The moonlight lit his eyes, making them look... _nice, _Sheena thought. _Hey! Where did that come from? Well, he does seem a little more serious. What's the worst that can happen?_

"Alright, I'll come. But if you say anything like that again..."

"Don't worry," he said. "I won't, hunny."

"And don't call me that! I am NOT your hunny!"

"Woops."

The two walked out the door. Zelos pointed at the moon. "Look at that. Isn't it beautiful?" he asked.

Sheena was surprised to find herself agreeing. "Yeah, it is."

Zelos smiled at her. It wasn't his flirty smile, either, or his pervert grin. It was a genuine smile, almost shy. Sheena couldn't help answering it. "Not as beautiful as you," he said.

Sheena looked at him, surprised. She tried to hide her blush.

Anna looked at them._ Man, this moon is potent._ _Hmm..._ she thought. _How to embarrass them..._ an evil grin spread across her face, and she slipped into the building.

They continued down the little pathway, silent for the moment. "Sheena," Zelos said.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry," Zelos said. "I know you hate it when I flirt... I guess it's not very respectful of the girl." He didn't know where the words were coming from, but the look on Sheena's face told him they were the right ones.

She looked impressed. "Wow, Zelos, that's really... decent of you." She smiled at him.

Something inside of Zelos cheered. _She likes me! She ACTUALLY likes me! _He saw roses growing on a vine that was hanging from a trellis in the garden. Plucking one off of its stem, he presented it to Sheena. "For you, the one girl I truly love. I could never look at another from the day I saw you."

Shocked, Sheena took the flower. "Th-thanks..."

Zelos looked at the ground. "Um..." he said, suddenly feeling shy.

Sheena laughed. "Don't worry, Zelos. I forgive you."

He smiled. "Sheena, if this is improper, I hope you'll forgive me again." He leaned forward, just to kiss her on the cheek. He'd dreamed about it, and could imagine no better time than this.

The door creaked open. "Aaah! ZELOS!" screamed a high, annoying, female voice.

A small group of girls rushed over. "Where were you?" "We were looking for you!" "Dance with me!" "No! Dance with ME!" "I saw him first!" The group of obsessive fangirls surrounded Zelos.

Zelos swore under his breath. _I was sure I'd gotten rid of them,_ he thought.

Sheena looked at Zelos. "I'd... I'd better go," she said. She quickly disappeared into the building.

Zelos despaired. It had been so perfect. _Stupid fangirls,_ he thought.

Anna vacated the scene, for of corse she had led the fangirls there. _I am SO dead if anyone ever finds out that was me._ _Not that I'll be around... _a wave of sadness washed over her as she slipped into the woods.

_Kratos paced the small clearing, still looking through his pockets. Anna was here... and he wasn't about to let go of the woman he loved so easily. He _would _find a way for her to stay. There it was! He pulled a pendant of gold and diamond from his pocket, set it down, and began to focus his energy. "Please..." he prayed. "Let this work."_

* * *

A/N: Ha! I love using Fangirls to humiliate Zelos. MUAHAHA! What's Kratos planning? WHO KNOWS! Well, I do, but I'm not planning to tell until I'm good and ready. 


	5. Flashback: the previous day

_Vexen, standing in his laboratory, thought furiously. A large book lay on the table in front of him. Vials, important-looking papers, and powders had been shoved aside_, _this book taking their place._

This 'harvest moon', _he thought. _It is said that it causes feelings to rise... could it work on one of our number? Could we, beings with no hearts, regain our feelings? Could this be the solution we were looking for all along? Instead of kingdom hearts, if this could make us somebodies again... I must find out if this works. To find out, I will need to expose some of our number to the light of this moon. Saix draws his power from the moon. That means he would be most easily affected. I should try Larxene, to see if this would effect both genders. Marluxia, perhaps? He is easily the coldest, besides Xemnas. I will have to be there as well, to observe. Now... where is the nearest 'harvest mooon'?

_Vexen leafed through a large book. He stopped on a page, read a couple of paragraphs, and nodded to himself._ Alright... now I need a means to get them there... _he opened a dark portal, and called something into it._

_A teenager stepped through the portal. "What is it?" he asked._

_"Zexion," said Vexen, "I require your assistance. I am performing an experiment."_

_Zexion nodded. "What do you need?"_

_"I need you to make sure that Saix, Larxene, Marluxia and I are sent in a certain place tomorrow evening."_

_Zexion cocked his head. "Why?"_

_"It is an experiment. You will know if it works."_

_"I will help you," said Zexion, "for a favour."_

_"What do you want?" Vexen asked shortly._

_Zexion whispered something in Vexen's ear. Vexen looked oddly at him. He then picked up a vial of dark blue liquid sitting on his desk and handed it to Zexion. Zexion nodded. "I will help you. Where do you want to be sent?"_

_"Symphonia."_

_"It will be done. You can count on it."_

_Zexion left the room._


	6. The Beauty of Feelings

Larxene gazed up at the moon. It held her gaze, as if she was hypnotised. She marvelled at the copper colour. It was a bold red, one that was rare in the World that Never Was. _I... like this colour. _She didn't know where the thought had come from, but it seemed right.

Looking around, she saw the way the colour was reflected off of the leaves of the trees, filling the night with colour and... majesty. _It's beautiful,_ she thought. _Wait..._ _I haven't thought something was beautiful since I lost my heart..._ the thought lit something almost like a flame inside of her. Then she scolded herself._ You're a nobody, girl. Get yourself together._ _Xemnas can, and will, torture you if you start going soft now... wait, how can I go soft? I don't have feelings... do I?_

Marluxia looked up from examining the nearby trees to see his partner for the mission looking odd. "Is everything alright?" he asked. There was no way this mission would be compromised because of her. Also, she was his comrade, even if he had no emotions to enjoy it with. She wasn't going to get hurt.

"Marluxia... look." Larxene pointed to the moon.

Marluxia looked at the moon. It was red tonight, an odd coincidence. "I see it. what about the moon?"

"There's something... weird about it, isn't there?"

At that comment, Marluxia looked harder. Something stirred. He almost seemed to see it in a different way than a moment ago. _I can't tell Larxene,_ he thought. So he replied, "No. Why?"

He saw an odd expression cross Larxene's face. "It's... It's nothing..."

Larxene felt as if she was sinking, just slightly, but there nonetheless. She looked at the moon again. Her eyes turned to Marluxia, and she watched him for a moment.

Kratos looked hard at the amulet. Please let this work... he summoned his power, and whispered something under his breath. He let the power loose in a blaze of light.

"Judgement!"

Marluxia's keen eyes spotted a flash in the distance. He felt a shiver dance on his spine. No fear touched him, but he marvelled at the haunting... beauty of the flashes and of the moonlight. It was...

"It's pretty..." Larxene said softly.

"It is," he found himself agreeing.


	7. Hearts wil bring pain

Saix stared up at the moon. It was red tonight. How odd.

Drawing power from the moon, he began to test what he could do. He found that this moon gave him as much power as usual. He was not affected... was he?

He looked around, and something sparked in him. His lips twitched.

Siax realised what was happening. He turned and fled, deep into the forest. No one should see him right now. He sat down in a clearing, and gazed at the stars. This had to happen tonight, of all nights.

Saix felt something burning inside him, and then he felt like rain. A grey day, grey rain. His mind showed him pictures he thought he had stowed away forever. Memories... from when he had been a Somebody.

Isa held out a hand. His blue hair reflected some of the moonlight. He smiled, loving with all his heart the woman before him. Mary took his hand, and they danced to imaginary music.

Isa and Mary watched, hand in hand, as the sun rose in a blaze of glory. They marvelled over the beauty of the world they lived in. This incredible world... _they never wanted to leave it. _

Isa looked at Mary, his wife. His arm slipped around her, and she smiled at him.

Mary lay on a bed, her eyes closed. "No..." Isa whispered. _"Not Mary... please! Not Mary..." he said, falling into unconsciousness on the spot. Isa dreamed. Mary stood in front of him, and they danced one last time. She faded away, and Isa woke with tears on his cheeks. _

Saix knew what was happening. His memories were coming back, and with them, ghosts of emotion, what he had felt before. He cursed under his breath. He'd never be able to complete this mission in a state like this!

Suddenly, a transparent woman stood before him. she wore a long blue dress, and had black hair. She danced, her arms empty. She stopped, and held a hand out to him.

"Isa... let us dance once more..." she whispered. The sound was like wind stirring the leaves on the trees. 

Saix stood defiantly before the ghost of the woman who had once been the love of his life. He looked at her, hunger for a heart slowly overtaking his cold demeanor. His gaze dropped to the ground. For a moment, he was Isa again, shy and in awe of the woman he loved with all his heart.

Then his Nobody self took over. He pulled out one of his weapons, and slashed though the figure. She wavered like smoke. Then, tears began to roll down her lovely face. _"Isa... what has happened to you?"_

"I am NOT Isa!" Saix said, defiance and a tinge of desperation colouring his voice. "My name is Saix. I am a nobody, and I can't feel!"

The lady smiled gently, lovingly. _"No, you are not. Even a nobody can regain a heart... by allowing themselves to love."_

"No!" Saix shouted. He turned his back, and the image of Mary disappeared. Her words hung in the air.

"Anyone can have a heart..."

"Isa, no one can take away love. Not even a Heartless. You chose to throw away your heart. By doing so, you have killed yourself. You are as dead as I am."

"Isa... I guess we'll meet in heaven. Goodbye..."

The woman disappeared, leaving Saix alone in the woods.

He wept.

* * *

A/N: I don't own anything, except I made up Mary. I'm not sure if Isa was Saix's somebody name, but I like it. Yes, I know it's Emo. 


	8. Seeing in a new way

Marluxia looked out of the corner of his eye at Larxene. The red moon filtered through her hair and lit up her eyes. A gentle breeze played with her hair and cloak. She had an odd expression on her face. A... happy one.

Suddenly, Marluxia knew what was happening. The two of them had their feelings back, if just for the night. Judging by the way Saix had raced into the forest, almost seeming to panic, he was being affected as well.

He informed Larxene of what was happening. The look on her face turned to one of understanding. "Oh!" she said, and then in a smaller voice, "So I'm not the only one..."

Larxene sighed with relief. She wasn't going crazy, and it would only last for the night. She looked over at Marluxia, who seemed to be marvelling at the moonlight. He stood, relaxed, his scythe hanging loose by his side. He turned and gave her a quizzical look. Her lips twitched into a smile, and he returned it.

A smile looked so natural on Larxene's face that Marluxia couldn't help returning it. In fact... he had never really noticed, but... Larxene was very pretty. He supposed that this was part of his returning feelings.

Feelings were flaring in Larxene's heart that she thought had been gone forever. Feelings of happiness... of friendship. Marluxia had been the one in the Organization that she had associated with the most. He had not disrespected her because she was a girl.

She decided to... just for the evening... follow these new-found feelings. How much harm could they do? It was only one night.

* * *

A/N: Cheesy, I know. I just am that way. Don't own! 


	9. Moonsong and a Drowning Child

"Hey, Colette, want to come for a walk with me?"

"Oh, sure, Lloyd."

Colette and Lloyd walked out of the building into the night. They stood for a moment, looking around them at the stars, marvelling at the clear night sky.

"Oh! Lloyd! Look at that!" Colette pointed to the moon.

"Wow. The moon's red! Neat!"

Colette cast a sideways glance at her friend. "It's pretty, isn't it?"

Lloyd met her gaze and smiled. "Yeah, it is."

The two continued walking through the garden, on the roundabout path. Eventually they reached the lake. By the path, there were a couple of little boats.

"Want to go for a ride, Colette?"

"Hmm?"

"On the boats."

"Oh!" she said. "Ok, why not?"

Colette stepped into one of the boats, and sat down. Lloyd pushed off and jumped on.

Out in the middle of the lake, the moon bounced off of the water, reflecting around them in a blaze of glory. Colette laughed at hummed a song about the moon.

Lloyd cocked his head. "What's that?"

Colette looked back over. "Hmm?"

"The song. It's pretty."

"Oh, thanks!" she said. She stared to sing it out loud, and her voice echoed over the lake. Receiving 'angelic song' from the angel Remiel had made her a wonderful singer.

Lloyd looked on. The moonlight shone off of the lake, and sparkled in Colette's eyes. He suddenly felt shy, and he smiled at her.

Colette looked at her friend, with the wonderful smile on his face. She leaned over to hug him.

Lloyd, surprised, put his arms around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he smiled.

Anna stood by the edge of the lake. She watched, in the body of a five year old, her son holding the one he loved. Tears sparkled in her eyes, and she looked away. Angrily, she wiped them away. She had a mission. It wasn't the time to cry.

Their boat drifted gently, and Colette continued to sing. The song about the moon changed to one about love. It was in Angelic, but somehow, Lloyd understood what she said. He smiled at her.

Colette leaned forward to kiss him. Anna, thinking quickly, jumped into the lake. She floundered around, making a racket about how she couldn't swim.

Lloyd looked over to see a child desperately trying to stay above water. Reluctantly, he let go of the idea of kissing Colette, and dove into the water to rescue the kid.

Lloyd grabbed Anna, and pulled her to shore. "You OK, kid?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks, mister! Sorry for interrupting you while you were smooching with your girlfriend," Anna said. Her voice echoed across the lake, and both Lloyd and Colette blushed and looked away. Colette paddled the boat to shore, and walked away into the building.

Anna vacated the area.


	10. Shyness

Genis and Presea sat in the ballroom, watching the adults dance. Genis had a bored look on his face, and Presea was pacing around the room.

They met each others eyes. "This is boring," Genis said. Shyness struck, and he stuttered slightly. "W-wanna go outside, Presea?"

"I do not see why not."

Genis looked shyly at the ground. Presea's eyes wandered, and eventually found the moon. It reflected in her eyes, and she let out a rare smile.

Genis looked up to see Presea... smiling! "Presea..." he murmured. Her eyes almost seemed to sparkle. He smiled back, shyly at first, then with growing confidence.

Presea saw Genis smiling, his eyes shining in the moonlight. She thought he looked less nervous than usual.

Genis felt confidence further straighten his bent head. He looked over, and saw Lloyd swimming, looking very annoyed, trying to rescue a little kid who appeared to be drowning. When he heard her loud statement, he started to laugh.

Presea looked over. "What are you laughing about, Genis?" she asked.

"Oh, Lloyd just rescued this little brat, and she loudly apologised for interrupting him 'smooching' Colette. The look on his face is priceless. Look," he said, pointing it out.

Presea looked for a moment. "He appears to be wishing harm on the young girl. He also seems to want to... crawl into a dark hole and hide." She thought a moment, and then laughed a little.

Genis looked at Presea. He didn't know why, but he was always so shy when she was around. He knew for certain that he liked her, he just didn't know how to tell her. In fact, he didn't really know how to tell her anything. He always stuttered and shook whenever she looked at him.

Presea caught him looking at her. "Genis... what's wrong?"

"N-nothing..."

Presea looked at Genis. Somehow, she always felt odd around him. She supposed that she loved him, but she didn't really know how to tell him. She always hid behind her stone wall when he was around, because she didn't know how to be natural around... someone she loved. She didn't know, for that matter, if he felt anything at all for her. He was always shy around her, but that could just be the way he was. She sighed.

Genia looked worriedly at her. "Presea, are you OK?"

"Yes," Presea said. Genis continued to look hard at her, and her resolve broke. "...no."

Genis moved closer to her and held her hand. "What's wrong?"

"I... I can't find what to say..."

"What to say? To who?"

"You. I don't know how to tell you..."

"I feel the same way... I can't find the words to say... to say... well... um..."

"I... really like you, Genis."

Genis stopped short. He looked at her, wide eyed. "R-really?"

"Yes." She put her arms around him and hugged him tight. He hugged her back.

"Presea... that's what I was trying to tell you. Um... want to go back into the ballroom and... dance?"

"Alright..." Presea's head dropped down, close to Genis' shoulder, and he leaned slightly toward her.

Anna, hiding near them now, soaking wet, knew what was coming. He'd say something sweet, then she'd lift her head... right into his kiss. _This is starting to sound like a romance novel._ _I mean, how many cheesy, over used cliches have happened since this moon went up? You could almost have a mushy Japanese love song playing for this ridiculous evening! (author's note: hint HINT! See end of chapter_) Climbing up a nearby tree, she picked a couple of nuts. Taking careful aim, she bonked Genis on the head with one of them.

He jumped back, sputtering. Presea looked around, but Anna remained hidden in the tree.

That'll stop this mess. Those two are too shy to actually kiss not by accident. Time to get out of here.

Anna jumped out of the tree and ran - straight into Kratos.

* * *

A/N: The cheesy Japanese love song is Koisuru Otome by Ikimono Gakari. I was listening to it while I wrote this chapter. You should take a look. They're amasing! 

Don't own.


	11. Fairest Lady

Kratos looked at Anna. She was dripping wet, he saw. Also, she seemed ready to drop.

"Anna," he said.

"Yeah?"

"Do me a favour. Please... listen to me. I can't let you go again." He pulled a necklace out of his pocket. "Please put this on. If I'm right, it will let you stay."

Anna looked at him doubtfully. But she trusted him more than anything, so she donned the necklace.

Suddenly, she felt a surge of power roar through her veins. The necklace! It connected their hearts, allowing Kratos' Angelic powers to keep her from fading. She let go of the human's power, and instead linked her heart to the necklace, and the power of Judgement inside it.

"I have to see if I can become a grown-up again," she said. She closed her eyes, and, fingering her pendant, she concentrated.

Nothing happened. Anna stayed standing in front of Kratos, the sweet, spunky five-year-old. Opening her eyes, she looked at herself in horror. "I'm still a five year old. I can't change back!" she said, turning terrified eyes to Kratos.

Kratos held open his arms, and Anna fell into them. "It's alright," he said. "I know someone who just might be able to help. We'll go see him tomorrow. For now, I think you need dry clothes, and a bed. Come on, we are staying at Zelos' house tonight. I'll find you a place to sleep."

"Ok..." said Anna, leaning against Kratos. She closed her eyes as he hugged her.

Kratos knew in the way Anna leaned on him, that she had fallen asleep. Running around all night would be a strain on any five-year-old body. He scooped her up in his arms, and her head rested on his shoulder.

He looked at her tenderly, and as she drifted into dreaming, he softly sang a lullaby._Fairest lady,_

_fairest lady,_

_it's time to close your eyes._

_Go to sleep,_

_dream sweet dreams._

_Oh, my fairest lady._

_Now, _Kratos thought, as he carried Anna towards the room he'd be sleeping in. _I have to figure out what to tell Lloyd._


	12. Epilogue

Larxene and Marluxia kissed. They revelled in the feeling of love pouring between them.

Larxene felt a heat in her chest.

"Marluxia!" she said.

"What is it?"

"Look!" she said. She grabbed his hand and held it to her chest. "What do you feel?"

Marluxia looked oddly at her. "I feel a beat."

"Exactly," Larxene said. "Nobodies don't have heartbeats."

As she said that, a matching pulse started in Marluxia's heart.

"Larxene... do you know what this means?" he said.

"No..."

"We're... we're Somebodies! This is the secret! We've been looking for Kingdom Hearts, but all we needed... was love."

Larxene and Marluxia looked at each other. Something rang like a bell in their minds.

Together they said, "We've got to stop Xemnas."

"But how?" Marluxia said.

Larxene's eyes lit up. "We'll have to overthrow Organization XIII. Then, we can make them see the truth. You become whole by loving, and only by that. Kingdom Hearts is wrong."

Marluxia's head snapped up, and his eyes glowed with new resolve. "Let's do it," _he said._


	13. Followup: When Nobody Died

Well, I thought I was finished. Then, I thought, what the heck. I might as well do a follow-up. Remember the Epilogue? Larxene and Marluxia? Well, here's an epilogue to their story. :D Songfic! The only thing I know how to write now.

* * *

The stars overhead, the grass beneath their feet. They walked together, talking quietly.

__

From underneath the trees, we watch the sky.  
Confusing stars for satellites.

"Xemnas will have missed us by now," Marluxia said.

"We'll just say reconnaissance took... longer than usual," Larxene replied.

"Hmm. He might believe it," Marluxia said thoughtfully.

__

I never dreamed that you'd be mine  
but here we are, we're here tonight.

Larxene thought for a moment. "Why did Xemnas send us here, anyway?"

Marluxia cocked his head. "You know... I have no clue. We found nothing."

"Good thing he did," Larxene laughed. Something about the place she and Marluxia had been sent had awoken their feelings. She had fallen for him, and he for her. This had caused a strange phenomenon. Their hearts had come back. Larxene could still feel hers beating, and the feeling of her blood flowing of its own accord, not forced by magic, was a wonderful one. Better yet, were the feelings that had come back with her heart. She finally felt alive again.

__

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive.  
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive.

Marluxia smiled. "Definitely. Or else this never would have happened."

"Do you really think we can save the others?" Larxene said.

"We have to try," Marluxia replied. "Kingdom Hearts will get them nowhere."

"If only they'd all been sent here as well," Larxene said. "It would have been so much easier."

"It might not have worked," Marluxia said. "I felt feelings return with the moonlight, but they felt temporary. I think that it was..."

"You," Larxene said. "I felt the same way. I felt like the feelings would fade. But then, when... well, that's when I felt my heartbeat start up again."

"It was the same for me," Marluxia said. "I think that... they'd all need someone to them like you are to me to bring back their feelings."

"They'd need... love?" Larxene said.

__

If everyone cared and nobody cried,  
if everyone loved and nobody lied.  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
then we'd see the day when nobody died.

"I think so," said Marluxia.

"Marluxia," said Larxene. "Think back. Isn't it strange, to remember doing all those horrible things? And though I feel terrible about it now, I remember feeling nothing at all about it."

Marluxia's expression became distant. "It is..." a frown appeared on his face.

"What's wrong?" Larxene asked.

"I just remembered... hurting you."

"Oh," said Larxene. "When we duelled."

__

And I'm singing  
Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive.  
Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive

"That's right," said Marluxia. "I felt nothing, not even pride at winning. Now, I feel... sorry."

"Don't be." Larxene smiled. "You beat me fair and square."

"You bled," said Marluxia. "No one should make their own friends bleed."

"The wounds are healed now," she replied.

__

And in the air, the fireflies.  
Our only light in paradise.

They talked for a long time. Not about their mission. There were so many memories to explore.

Larxene laughed. "Remember how cold we were? How greedy? To think, now we're plotting the downfall of Organization Thirteen."

Marluxia smiled in return. "How do you think they'll react? If we succeed, I mean."

Larxene cocked her head. "Roxas will faint from shock," she said.

Marluxia laughed. "That sounds right. And Demyx will be ecstatic."

__

We'll show the world they were wrong  
and teach them all to sing along.

"He's always wanted a heart the most out of all of us," Larxene agreed. "I'd actually be surprised if he doesn't have one already. The way he acts... I used to think he was stupid, weak, a coward. He's just emotional."

Marluxia nodded. "Demyx has one already? That's a little odd. Why does he hide it?"

__

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive.  
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive.

"Does he hide it?" Larxene asked. "I think he actually believes all of us have hearts. In fact, I think I remember him saying something to that effect... that Nobodies have hearts, they're just dormant. Sleeping was the word he used."

"Hmm..." Marluxia thought. "So he'd be someone to get help from."

"No," said Larxene. "Heart or no, he's very loyal to Organization XIII. I don't think he knows anything else."

__

If everyone cared and nobody cried,  
if everyone loved and nobody lied.  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
then we'd see the day when nobody died.

"So we're alone," said Marluxia. "Up against the other... eleven nobodies."

"Guile will be needed," said Larxene. "We'll have to be more cunning than Zexion, smarter than Vexen, and more dedicated than Xemnas if we want to win."

__

If everyone cared and nobody cried,  
if everyone loved and nobody lied.  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
then we'd see the day when nobody died.

"Force won't do it," agreed Marluxia.

"Why do we always get stuck with the hard jobs?" Larxene asked.

Marluxia shrugged. "I'd rather be stuck here with you than stuck on the other side. Such is the price of freedom."

__

And as we lie beneath the stars  
we realize how small we are.

"Larxene," Marluxia said. "We might... we might fail. If we do, they'll kill us."

"I know." Larxene's face was set and solemn. "Before this, if I had found out about a plot to overthrow the Organization, I would do just that."

"They might kill us," said Marluxia. "I'm not scared. What I had as a Somebody is now gone. But... I'm worried that they'll kill you as well."

Larxene smiled. "Have you forgotten? I can take care of myself. Remember how I... punished... Axel when he was hitting on me?"

Marluxia laughed. "I do," he said. "He couldn't sit for a week. But," and here his face sobered again, "promise me you'll take care of yourself."

"I will," said Larxene. "They might kill me, but I'd rather die by their hands, after seeing this, than die an emotionless Nobody, not knowing that anything better existed."

__

If they could love like you and me  
imagine what the world could be.

Marluxia hugged Larxene. She smiled, and returned the gesture.

"Time suddenly seems to move so fast," Marluxia said.

"I know," Larxene agreed. "When I was a Nobody, it dragged by so slowly. Now, I can see just how fast it moves. Now I know that this will be over in the blink of an eye, and we'll have to turn on the people who are our friends."

"The calm before the storm," said Marluxia.

__

If everyone cared and nobody cried,  
if everyone loved and nobody lied.  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
then we'd see the day when nobody died.  
When nobody died...

"Do we have to go back just yet?" Larxene asked.

"I'm sure a... little while longer would be alright," said Marluxia.

The two shared a smile, as they silently walked along together.

__

If everyone cared and nobody cried,  
if everyone loved and nobody lied.  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
then we'd see the day when nobody died.

"I guess... we need to go back now," said Larxene.

"We do," said Marluxia. "It's almost dawn. Any longer and Axel will be spreading malicious rumours."

__

We'd see the day, we'd see the day  
when nobody died.

"Pity," Larxene said. "I'd get him if he did."

Marluxia smiled. "If he did, you wouldn't be the only one punishing him. However, the Xemnas might wonder just what took us so long, and start to ask questions. That would be a problem."

"Back to the World that Never Was, then?" Larxene said.

__

We'd see the day, we'd see the day  
when nobody died.

"Unfortunately," said Marluxia. "You know, before now, I never realized how dull that place was?"

Larxene laughed a little. She slipped her hand into Marluxia's and gave it a squeeze, before opening a portal alongside his.

__

We'd see the day when nobody died.


End file.
